Persistent Pain After Heart Attack Linked to Increased Mortality Risk, Comparable to Smoking

Recent research highlights that experiencing ongoing pain one year following a heart attack significantly elevates the risk of premature death, with figures comparable to the risks associated with smoking and high blood pressure. Conducted by a team from Dalarna University, Region Dalarna, Karolinska Institutet, and Uppsala University, the study analyzed data from nearly 100,000 patients registered in the SWEDEHEART register, tracking their health outcomes over up to 16 years.

The study found that patients reporting persistent pain one year after a heart attack faced up to a 70% higher chance of mortality compared to those without pain. Notably, this increased risk was evident even among individuals without traditional risk factors like obesity or diabetes, including younger, normal-weight patients and those without chest pain.

Experts emphasize that long-term pain following a heart event should be recognized as a significant risk factor. Historically viewed primarily as a symptom, chronic pain is now being acknowledged as an independent health threat, similar in severity to smoking. This shift in perspective underscores the importance of comprehensive pain management and monitoring as part of post-heart attack care.

The findings are based on a robust data set, building upon earlier smaller studies, and suggest a pressing need for the medical community to include pain assessment in the evaluation of long-term cardiovascular risk. The research underscores the potential for pain management to improve survival outcomes and advocates for turning the scientific focus toward chronic pain as a critical factor in cardiovascular health.

Published in the journal IJC Heart & Vasculature (2025), this study sheds light on the overlooked impact of persistent pain and calls for increased attention to pain as a vital component in cardiac prognosis.